Portable flashlight



E. Jj GARLAND ETAL PORTABLE FLASHLIGHT June 6, 1950 Filed NOV. 3, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNE? June 6, 1950 E. J. GARLAND ETAL 2,510,812

PORTABLE FLASHLIGHT Filed Nov. 3, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIII IHlll Patented June 6, 1950 atraen PORTABLE FLASHLGHT Edward J. Garland, Worcester, and Wesley J. Officer, Hampden, Mass., assignors to Blake Manufacturing Corporation, Clinton, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 3, 1947, Serial No. 783,696

4 Claims. (Cl. M10-10.6)

This invention relates to portable flashlights. More particularly, the invention is directed to a novel snap-open and shut ring hanger and mounting therefor.

The main object of the invention is to provide a ring hanger for a flashlight which is mounted :for rotary movement on the'. end wall of a iiashllght cap, and in such manner that it can be swung to project vertically from the cap and to extend laterally beyond the casing, the hanger being normally retractably biased to lie iiat against the cap wall.

It is a particular feature of novelty and advantage of the present invention to provide a ring hanger for a ashlight' whichv is spring' biased in its snap-shut, retracted position and in its snap-open position. Because of the springbiasing provided herein, the ring hanger will be snapped into its inoperative position and to its fully extended positionand locked in such positions.

Yet another featureof novelty and advantage ofthe present .invention is the provision of special spring-biasing means for a ring hanger in which the bail is journalled in a bushing extending outwardly from the cap wall,'and is retained in snap-open and snap-shut position by a spring member associated therewith.

These and other desirable features of novelty and advantage of the present invention will bei described in the accompanying specication, certain preferred forms being illustrated by way of Y example in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a flashlight with the end cap andrrin'g hanger being shown in vertical" section; V

Fig. 2 is a detailin vertical section of the end cap showing the hanger in vertical position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the hanger snapped into extended position;

Fig. i is a plan view of "the end cap showing the ring hanger in closed position;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of` a bottom portion of a flashlight with the end cap in vertical section, showing a modified form of ring hanger and snap-locking means;

Fig. 6 is a 4plan view of the end cap of Fig. 5, showing the ring hanger. in closed position;

, .,i Fig. 7 is a vertical fragmentary section of theV end cap of Fig. 6 showing the ring hanger in vertical position, and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the ring hanger biased in extended position.

Referring now to the drawings, in Figs. 1 to 4, there is shown a flashlight comprising a battery casinglll, a top assembly I2, and an end cap lll screwV threaded onto the base of the vcasing I6. The cap M is provided with a wallportion I6 having a screw thread I8, ahead 20, and a depressed end wall 22. As shown in Fig. 2, a generally rectangular opening 24, formed in the end wall 22, along a diameter thereof, receives a raised loop 26 oi a'channel strip 28 having side walls or webs 30. The channel 28 has its free end 32 rolled overV in bearing engagement with an inner portion 34 of the bead 20 of the end cap. A generally iiat spring 36 is fitted in the channel member 28 and is secured thereto and to the end cap by rivet 38.

At its other end the spring 36 is bowed away from the end wall, as indicated at 46, and is provided with a terminalsection 42 providing a flat bearing surface for the ring hanger, as

will now be described.

The ringV hanger comprises a lbail .or annulus il (Fig. 4) conforming to the inner wall of section 2li of the end cap and bent inwardlyat one side to form aligned sections 46 severally bent again at right angles to form parallel sections 48 which are inturned to form laligned journals 50, the latter being bent again at right angles to form parallel abutted end sections 52 forming a lever arm, the end faces 54 of which are adapted for sliding bearing engagement with bearing Section 42 of the spring member and the adjacent terminal section 4l of the bowed portion 46 of the spring.

The action of the novel ring hanger described immediately above will be readily apparent from the above description and the drawings. The bail 44 is iitted in channeled spring holder 2S (Fig. 2) so that the aligned journals 56 of the bail have bearing engagement in the bushing section 26 of the spring support. The body 28 of the channel support is set intoftheV cap and is abutted against the inside of endwall 22 with section 26 projecting through the aperture 24.' Spring member 36 is fitted in channel member 2S; both the spring and the channel being provided with aligned apertures which are in alignment with a similar aperture in wall 22, the spring member being secured in interlocked position by rivet 38 passing through the said apertures and `peened over or headed against the end 'wall 22 and the spring 36. With the riveting of the channel support in place, the end 32 is locked in bearing engagement with the section 34 of the cap wall 26. The bail 44 is rotatable about an axis coincident with journals 5D, and., when apposed to the end Wall 22 of the the spring 55 will maintain the bail il in pcsiei.

tion until it is rocked about its axis. so that. one side or the other of the end section 52 isv engaged by bearing surface 4B of the'springand the bail is snapped into nested` positionftasshofwn in Figs. 1 and fi. When thebail is extended intl:

hanger position as shown in Fig. 3, the lever arm 52 will be resiliently clamped betweensectiorr` il of spring 35 and the angular rear wall 2l of the struck up bearing section 25 of channelz. The positive bearing engagement of the spring and t bail, and the journalling; ofthe latter in. bushing 1 128, assures positive.; snap. lock :performance :and positive retention ofithe. :bail g. in either its shut position.. (Figs. 1 ande) ,rorgits,jopenwgposition illustrated.. in. Fig..4 3. "."'lheicombination of `parts' 25.: in the novel arrangementherein.imanes/.for sim- '.,plicity in manufacture and assembly.

, Referringnow: to Figs. 5 to 8,.;there is .shown a..modif-ledl form of ring vvhangeriin .which rthe vend fwallz; of thecap sjstruck 11p-.tofV form a bearn` 30;.. Y ing cr bushing-section 222- which will receive the i nals 55 have etheirfterminal. ends .bentat right :.fangles and appcsed to for-1n a lever-arme having .a `fiat spring55which is secured to .the -cap .wall

.22 `by .thel usual: rivet 38..;.111 `this..simple-. form of construction, the memberr subservesthefdua functions in....this combination in .essentially the same manner. as...that:describedlabove.for 1 T ...O 4, .and provides `the...desirableinternal,spring bearing engagement withand..againstfthe ,bail 4.5,

while utilizing a. fixed.. bushing for 4bearing asso ciated with the .end wall.. for receivingend' supporting .the journals of .the bail.

hanger, VVwhile :shown ,as generally circular; may 50 assume yotherpshapes without departing-from `the spirit of this invention.

' It will be understood'gthatthe bailgorring It will be seen that-therefisprcvidededevices in which the several objects of the-invention are the conditions of practical use.

As various modifications-may be embodied in other specic devices, and asvarious changes may be made in the embodiments hereinabove set forth, it is to be understood--thatthev devices illustrated andfdescribed herein rare-presented,

- solely as illustrative:ofthefinvention :and not in limitation thereof. What is claimed is:

l. In a, flashlight .having a \v.a1l,. asuppOrt 65! member attached tothe interior surface of said wall, said supportmember having a portion which extends exteriorly of said wall andgprovides a pair of journal bearings,.jthe portion of said support yfic base for a spring member, a spring mounted on said support member, a bail, the two ends of which are bent into axial alignment to provide journals then bent angularly outwardly into parallel alignment to form a. bearing member, the free end of said spring resiliently engaging said bearing member.

2. 'In a flashlight having an end wall, a support member attached to the interior surface of said wall, said support member having a portion which extendsv through and exteriorly of said wall and provides a pair of journal bearings, a spring ...mounted onthe portion of said support member .which isiinterior4 of said Wall, a bail, the two ends of ywhich'fare-bent into axial alignment to provide Vjournals, then bent angularly outwardly into ...tparallelialignment to form a unitary bearing member, the said spring being xed at one of its Vends'and having a free end mounted over and in resilient engagementupon said unitary bearing :....rmemben 3'..In a flashlightvhaving aniendwal'l', achannelledsupport memberattachedf to'the.' interior surface of said wall, said support'inembe'r-ihaving an, angularly disposed :ear which vrextendssthrough and exteriorly,ofxsaid'fwalland which'isbent to i provide a .pair (of journal bearings, a'bailfthe two ends of fwhichfarefbentifintoiiaitial alignment to provide aipairzof journals and are-thenv bent angularly y.outwardly into^paralle1f alignment to form atbe'aring member, `azleaf.spring supported in the channel of said supportfmemberl, the said spring being. attached;toisaidfsupportfmember at i :oneendfithereofefand:having eits "othernencl in an endbearing surface 542.Thenlattere isre-"fpfresilient, ..slidingfgengagementwithesaid bearing f ceivedin a channel-,end sectioni (Figf) of '.imember.

e; 1n .af flashlight end/cap havingfanfend Wall,

f a. relatively. rigid, .channelled support'rmember, a V:. l' leaf/spring; supporte'dfin the' channel' orsaid 'sup- Vpurpose of a spring-biasing..membergand a bail." 10i endfreceiving and- .actuatinglnemben "....The bail port. .membenfzastiening*ameansFiorA aflixing said leaf spring to said support member adjacent a fcommon. end of 'each fands means .fcrfaixing said i., support zrnernberf to :the :interior #surface of said avail', said supportrmembers'havingfan angularly .disposed earwhichfextends through .afslctxinfsaid zend wallzandwhich isi-:bent: toe-provide 4afpair of 'journale "bearings which :are ffxedly 'positioned exteriorlyiofsaidi end Wall; aibail yhaving aporl'...tion adjacent.;eachfendathereof bent toprovide aljournalfreely; -rota-tableinzone tof' said pair of A- journal-.bearingsffanda-having `.--each'- end thereof then bent. 2 angularlyrcutwardly; .said outwardly bent ends being'infparallelfalignmentsWitheach achieved and which'are eminently iitted -to meet- 55 -around the laxis iofsaidI journals-but-fwithinY said end cap, the free end of said leaf springresiliently engaging-.said bearing member.

f EDWARD AJ,@Annate-i yvi/Tristar- J. OFFICER.

'.i'ianrsmincss' .crlrsn The follotvingzirefereirces aref ofl recordY in the file.Y 'of this; patent z' f member ,lying i-nteriorly ofxsaid'wall providing ay 70 '2,381,510

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